A taste of Cambodia

A lunchtime meeting provided the opportunity to present CVD’s involvement in the “Green Waste & Recycling” project. The meeting was very productive with CVD one step closer to obtaining further funding in this new project that will help to provide a cleaner, safer environment in Battambang.

 

There was still time to conduct further correspondence with CVD’s key donor and project renewal as well as spending some time in the garment factory where a number of young disabled girls are gaining valuable work experience there would find almost impossible to obtain outside of CVD.

 

 

The following days concentrated on funding issues; with correspondence to and from incumbent project donors, a series of networking emails generated, as well as ongoing training and  helping prepare CVD’s written documents to be used at the Human Rights Day, and of course attendance at the event.

 

My final day was eventful, a day trip to the small town of Samlot where CVD have been involved in improving the lives of the local community. An Anti-Human Trafficking Day was being across Cambodia. I arrived to see local children in various competitions, which was followed by a ceremony to celebrate local culture and to promote and educate the dangers of human trafficking. The event drew attention from Cambodian TV, 5 seconds of fame beckoned as I was filmed watching as the only westerner in Samlot!

 

In the evening Sarath and Kosal took me to dinner as a thank you for my time at CVD....when asked if I wanted to try some new local food I eagerly nodded, licking my lips in anticipation...until presented with sparrow and water beetle! Needless to say I think I would do quite well in the “I’m a Celebrity” Bush-tucker trial!

 

In 2 weeks I had gone from not knowing what to expect to working in a completely different culture with great acceptance. Going into the placement all that I knew was, as the old cliché goes, I wanted to give something back.

 

The appreciation of everyone at CVD is the best way of knowing that I made a positive impact and that I was able to pass on my skills, experience and personality in the best possible way....in return I’ve made new friends, learned about the workings of NGO’s, tasted a different way of life and most of all I can draw perspective from the positive people of Cambodia throughout my own life in the future.